Reviews

Like its predecessor, the SP-B22-LR is a bass-reflex speaker with a 1″ soft-dome tweeter and a 4″ woofer, neither magnetically shielded—but both drivers are new. The new woofer’s cone is made of textured polypropylene, to strengthen it for better bass dynamics while smoothing the frequency response. It also has a rigid dustcap to stiffen the voice coil, and a vented pole-piece to release the air pressure that builds up under the cap.

The SP-BS22 LR speakers utilize a curved cabinet design, which adds stiffness to the enclosure and is said to reduce internal standing waves. (This last issue is less germane in small boxes than full-range enclosures.) Although SP-BS22 LR is small, its relatively low 85dB sensitivity means that it requires more than minimal power. Bass is better controlled and there’s more of it with additional watts; plus, the added power enlivens dynamics and enriches tonality.

However, the essence of the BS22’s performance is found in the quality of its midrange. Jones has fashioned a smooth, tonally ripe midband with just enough heft and weight behind vocal and instrumental images to provide reasonable dynamic and harmonic scale. The treble is surprisingly open, which lends overtones a fullness and dimensionality that are often lacking in blue-plate loudspeakers. T

The SP-BS22 doesn’t go especially deep beyond the upper bass, but it remains composed at higher outputs. There’s bit of port/cabinet noise at its dynamic limits, but on Norah Jones’ “Sinkin Soon” fromNot Too Late [Bluenote], acoustic bass was both tuneful and tight. For the most part, the BS22 avoids the midbass boom that makes potential subwoofer- matching such a nightmare.The BS22 compresses gently but firmly, and flattens out the larger swings as if carefully measuring its own physical limitations, self-censoring if you will.

Summing Up

I would never have guessed at the outset that I’d be taking the BS22 so seriously when it came time to write this review, but in the right room this game little compact has in many areas turned in a performance worthy of speakers well beyond its almost laughably low price point. All courtesy of the man behind that tiny back-panel signature. The BS22 is simply one of the great buys out there, without reservation.